Even in the hottest temperatures, air conditioners can freeze. Frozen air conditioners can prevent your home from reaching your desired temperature, raise your utility costs, and increase the risk of expensive breakdowns. Here’s how to identify a frozen air conditioner and a few ways to address it.
Signs of a Frozen Air Conditioner
There are two major signs tat you have a frozen air conditioner.
- Ice in and around your outdoor air conditioner
- The air blowing from your inside vents is warm, not cold
The most obvious sign of a frozen air conditioner is when ice forms in and around the unit. But during the hottest summer days, many homeowners don’t think to themselves, “I should check my air conditioner for ice despite the fact that I might very well melt myself if I go out there.”
So, you might find that your air conditioner is frozen only because the air circulating in your house is warm.
If your air conditioning is blowing warm air, check the unit for built-up ice. If you notice any ice, you have a frozen air conditioner.
What to Do If Your Air Conditioner Is Frozen
There are three big things to do when you realize your air conditioner is frozen.
- Turn it off
- Thaw it out
- Contact a professional
The most important thing to do when you have a frozen air conditioner is to turn the unit off and thaw it out. Usually, it takes a day or two to thaw out a frozen air conditioner on its own.
Just make sure you don’t continue to run the air conditioner if you see it’s frozen. Running a frozen air conditioner can damage major components and end up costing you a boatload of money to fix.
Most importantly, be sure to contact a professional HVAC contractor to identify the underlying problem. Air conditioners don’t freeze for no reason.
With a Home Service Plan (aka Home Warranty) from 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty (2-10), you can access a network of local HVAC contractors who know how to fix the causes of frozen air conditioners. Plus, you can get ahead of problems that cause frozen air conditioners with the 2-10 Pre-Season HVAC Tune-Up option. This option allows you to access the 2-10 Contractor Network to have an HVAC professional check your air conditioner in the spring or fall. It’s great way to get your air conditioner professionally examined right before or after high use.
Quick Solutions for Thawing Frozen Air Conditioner
Summer heat is getting worse and more dangerous, so you might not have time to wait for the air conditioner to thaw on its own. Here are a few quick solutions that could get your air conditioner running.
Just remember that these solutions are quick fixes, not necessarily a replacement for having a professional come out and fix the underlying issue.
We also recommend that you take pictures of everything before and after your take these steps to help the contractor see what the issue could be.
Run just the air conditioner fan
Running the air conditioner fan, but not the air conditioner itself, could help thaw out the components more quickly, due to the fan circulating warm air over the ice. This process usually takes an hour or two.
As you’re thawing the air conditioner, be sure to file a claim with 2-10 to have a professional come out to address the underlying issue. Simply thawing the air conditioner is unlikely to solve the real issue, but it will make it easier for your technician to begin addressing the issue.
Melt the ice with a blow dryer on low
An even quicker way to thaw the unit is with direct heat. A blow dryer can quickly melt any ice on your frozen air conditioner within a couple minutes. But you have to make sure you’re doing it the right way.
The right way to use a blow dryer to thaw out a frozen air conditioner is to set it on LOW and hold it at least a foot away from the ice.
Don’t set the heat too high or put the blow dryer too close to the ice. This can damage key components of the air conditioner and cause even more problems down the line.
Things NOT to Do for a Frozen Air Conditioner
There are a couple of things to avoid doing for your frozen air conditioner.
Don’t pick the ice off
Avoid using a screwdriver, ice pick, or other sharp object to pick the ice off. Sharp objects can puncture and damage key components of the air conditioner, which could create even bigger, more expensive problems.
Don’t use high heat or a flame
Using a high setting on a blow dryer or worse, an actual flame, to thaw your air conditioner is a recipe for disaster. Direct heat can do irreparable damage to the air conditioning unit and it could also hurt you in the process.
Don’t ignore the problem
Ignoring a frozen air conditioner won’t make it go away, even in the hottest of heat waves. The longer you wait to address it, the more damage the underlying problem that caused the air conditioner to freeze can do.
Rather than wait, take advantage of a 2-10 Home Warranty before you have an issue. A 2-10 Home Warranty not only gives you a solution to problems like frozen air conditioners but also gives you access to preventative coverage options, such as the Pre-Season HVAC Tune-Up option, that can help you find problems before they turn into a burden.
